As suas três coleções de Lisbon minuets (c. 1765-70) impressas em Londres são especificamente identificadas no título de capa com o contexto da Assembleia das Nações Estrangeiras de Lisboa dirigida pelo compositor. Eighteen entire new Lisbon Minuets for two violins and a Bass. Selected out of the Book of Minuets composed for, and played at the British Factory Ball By Sigr.e Pietro Antº Avondano. London Printed for Charles and Samuel Thompson, s.d.

A Collection of Lisbon Minuets for two violins or two german flutes and a Bass composed by Sigr. Pietro Antº Avondano. London Printed for Charles and Samuel Thompson, s.d.

A Second Sett of Twenty-Two Lisbon Minuets for two violins and a Basscomposed by Sigr. Pietro Antº Avondano. London Printed for John Cox atSimpsons Musick Shop, s.d.

“There are two long rooms, where the British factory assemble twice a week, during the winter, to dance and play at cards. The minuets composed by Don Pedro Antonio Avondano, who lives here, are much estemed. Any British stranger who does not intend to reside six months in Lisbon is admitted gratis to these assemblies; but the subscription for the inhabitants is seven moidores for each room. I am informed that since my departure both these societies are united, and that a very large room is built for that purpose. During the course of the winter there are four grand balls, with suppers; to which many of the Portuguese nobility are invited.”

Pedro António Avondano (Lisbon, 1714-1782), of Italian origin, joined the Royal Chamber Orchestra between 1764 and 1782 as a violinist. He was acknowledged and appreciated as a composer in his time. Jozé Mazza, who is not always a strictly accurate historical source, confirms the traces of modernity in the work of his contemporary “his music had great harmony and great novelty.” This can, of course, be linked to his instrumental output consisting of sonatas, toccatas for harpsichord, a symphony and minuets, covering the musical genres such as dance music played at assemblies.

This musician, in fact, was greatly involved in setting up the first public meeting place for extended social intercourse, accessible only by subscription. It was known as Casa da Assembleia do Bairro Alto and began operating at least since 1761. Pedro Avondano was famous in Portuguese musical society and chaired the process of reorganising the Brotherhood of Saint Cecilia in 1765, gaining considerable social prestige as a member of the “Order of Christ” in 1767.

His three collections of Lisbon minuets (ca 1765-70), printed in London, are specifically identified on the cover heading within the context of the Foreign Nations Assembly of Lisbon conducted by the composer.

Eighteen entire new Lisbon Minuets for two violins and a Bass. Selected out of the Book of Minuets composed for, and played at the British Factory Ball By Sigr.e Pietro Antº Avondano. London Printed for Charles and Samuel Thompson, s.d.

A Collection of Lisbon Minuets for two violins or two German flutes and a Bass composed by Sigr. Pietro Antº Avondano. London Printed for Charles and Samuel Thompson, s.d.

A Second Sett of Twenty-Two Lisbon Minuets for two violins and a Bass composed by Sigr. Pietro Antº Avondano. London Printed for John Cox at Simpsons Musick Shop, s.d.

This identification refers us to the placing of this repertoire in a cosmopolitan circle of dissemination, inherent to the principle of creation of a cultural embassy of national which has much to do with the ideas of the Enlightenment. An assembly in which people listen and dance to music, similar to the music circulating in the principal European cultural centres. In 1775, the British traveller Richard Twiss wrote the following:

“There are two long rooms, where the British factory assemble twice a week, during the winter, to dance and play at cards. The minuets composed by Don Pedro Antonio Avondano, who lives here, are much esteemed. Any British stranger who does not intend to reside six months in Lisbon is admitted gratis to these assemblies; but the subscription for the inhabitants is seven moidores for each room. I am informed that since my departure both these societies are united, and that a very large room is built for that purpose. During the course of the winter there are four grand balls, with suppers; to which many of the Portuguese nobility are invited.”

Avondano’s collections can be distinguished by the instrumentation ( a trio of two violins or transverse flutes in the case of the second collection, and a cello) which probably means that they were played by Avondano himself on the violin and others close to him, possibly even family members (João Baptista Avondano, violin, and João Baptista André Avondano, cello). Being quite popular, they were printed in London on the incentive of the British community familiar with the balls at the Assembly of Nations in Lisbon. The Lisbon Minuets are characterised by their respect for the rules of efficacy tempered by heightened melodic and rhythmic imagination, essential for the degree of variety that musically characterizes the whole. The quality and richness of Avondano’s instrumental compositions within a framework of a repertoire with very tight frontiers and rules are enough to emphasise the reach of these compositions in the habits and practices of our country’s instrumental music.

It was at the Foreign Nations Assemblies that people first heard of concerts put on for the gathering and entertainment of the members of the foreign community resident in Lisbon. Functioning since 1761 at the very earliest, this extended social venue, accessible only by subscription, documents the first mention made of instrumental music in 1766, concerning which it appears under the cosmopolitan designation of “Caza da Assembleia das Nações Estrangeiras, no fim da rua da cruz onde mora Pedro António Avondano”. (House of the Assembly of Foreign Nations, at the end of Rua da Cruz where Pedro Antonio Avondano lives).